Starbucks---
The police came and went, Marko had kept his cool and performed admirably, his sister would have been proud at his performance, in the old day he would have slaughtered all of them. Deftly showing skill few who knew him thought he possessed Marko extricated himself from the scene by acting the proper citizen and making his statement and with subtle use of coercion mde it very clear that he didn't know the girl and that he had been having a coffee with his sister whom had departed before the crazy woman had sat at his table ranting before her suicide. In the process he mad a few contacts among the police that he knew he would be able to exploit in the future. Satisfied, Marko, once cleared and allowed to leave, went to his old home to rejoin his sister.
The Bar---
The witches regent studied Karen for a few brief seconds then stood abruptly and faced the bar. “Darrik dear since your neutral in all of this, do you mind taking care of the werewolf girl when she arrive I have things to check out.” she held up the phone with the pictures and without waiting for an answer motioned he men and headed to the door. “Y'all be careful I don't know what is going on but I do intend to find some answers.” Then with a nod she and her bodyguards left the bar leaving Darrick alone with the two werewolves.
“Hope you two don't mind but I have to get ready to open this place'” he said as he set about readying the bar for business.
A short time later The door opened again and the two girls arrived escorted by the tattooed black female vampire.

The blond sits still smiling. "I'll let you know in a day or two after you have had time to mull over the decision. A latte please."
Marko takes an annoyed breath and then turns partway in his chair to raises his arm to call the waitress over. The blond moves unhurriedly as he turns and draws a small pistol from her waist band where is was tucked under her t-shirt. Cara gasps as the girl puts the gun under her chin and pulls the trigger sending the .38 caliber bullet into her head and out the back of her skull.

Margarete watched the two vampires leave the establishment and in so doing caught, at least visually, the exchange between Karen and Dan. She kept watching Karen even as Dan walked close to her, her eyes following the female werewolf's gaze to the spot of empty air beside her. Hmmm.
"Well that didn't go very well, now did it? Of course we will check out the girl among other things," Margarete looks at the bar and Darrik. "Darrik, since y'all are neutral you mind handling that?" without waiting for an answer she looks back at Karen.
"Honey? Is there something bothering you," she asks?
**************************************
Mark and Cara both noticed the young teen aged girl walking purposefully toward them. She was very blond, dressed casual and looked like a tourist. She smiled broadly as she noticed that she had been noticed. She stopped a few feet from the table and grinned at the two vampires.
"Marko Angelo, Cara," she said as she pulled out a chair and sat down. "You have three choices, and I sincerely hope you make the right one. One, you can flee New Orleans and never return. Two, you can do exactly as I instruct, and not only will you live but you will thrive, have all of your wishes granted, and may rule here in this city for eternity. Or three, you can die."

Karen watches the vampires walkout into the morning sunlight and not for the first time wonders what in the wold she has gotten herself into. She turns back to look at the bar where Darrik is pouring drinks as the witch regent suggested. Her eyes are drawn to the large mirror behind the bar. She can see everyone reflected, the two vampires still there, another myth busted, all of the witches, and Dan nearby as well as herself.
But what widens her eyes and causes her mouth to open in a short gasp of shock is her father standing right beside her!

"And what...sigh....Alright have it y'all's way, you can have the girl." said an exasperated Lilith. She looks at Marguerite, "Find out what all of this was about, Reet," she cuts her glance to Marco, "I don't need any trouble, any more trouble, first Colby Walker, now Marco and Cara. This ain't old home week and none of you want this treaty to go away, cause there are worse monsters out there than the the ones in here." She walks towards the door pausing by Dan "I'll have the girl and Irish brought here, y'all might want to make sure she ain't go no spelly traps on her before sending her home. ANd make sure y'all out of the city before the moon comes out. Come along Joe."
Lilith pushes past Dan and looks at Karen again then goes outside. Joe follows her and gives Marco a nod of silent respect when he passes him on the way out.
"Well Darrik dear, I think we can all use a drink now." says the Regent as she sits back down.

Lilith glare's at Marco then glances at Cara, "Don't you have a muzzle for him or something? Look Marco, your supposed to be so brilliant and all. I didn't know you had come back to New Orleans, and frankly don't know why you would unless you have a suicide wish. But none of my people even know who you ar much less would drop my name if they were being asshole to some unknown vampire in the city. We live by the treaty, all of us including me that's how the peace has been kept for seventy five years.
No Vampire that lives in this city," She looks at Marguerite and her witches and the two werewolves that came with her, "and no Witch or werewolf is going to violate that treaty, not after so long. So if anyone is being played It looks like it was you." She crosses her arms and stands looking smug.
Marguerite stands, "It could be we are all being played. Send me copies of those pictures I'll see what I can find out. In the meantime the girl is probably better off with you , Lilith, than running around free. I think it's hardly a coincidence that a member of a werewolf family was just snatched at random off the street."

Marguerite took the phone and flicked back and forth throught the pictures, stopping she held up the phone so everyone could see the body of the male witch lying on the concrete floor of a warehouse, his throat ripped open. "This the witch," she asked?
Lilith looked up from the ground she had been staring at while all of this buzzed through her head. "That's the one."
"I don't know him, he isn't one of the nines. I don't recognize the symbols either at least not in those configurations." The Regent handed the phone back to Dan. Lilith shook her head . "He isn't one of yours?" Then she looked over at Marco for the first time since the attack. "And you what do mean when you keep saying you attacked and killed my men? None of our people are missing. For fucks sake I didn't even know you were back in the city until I walked in this door." For a second she looked like she was going to say something else but didn't instead she stepped close to Dan and took the phone.

All eyes were on Marco, his bravado drawing all the attention, Dan was the only one who noticed Lilith. She had stood still, as the male vampire spoke tension causing her body to shiver Dan had moved to her side when she had stopped and saw the veins around her eyes darken and protrude smelled blood as her nails split the skin of her fingers growing to claws. Then all he saw was a blur.
The last word had barley passed his lips before Lilith flashed across the intervening space her attack savage her intent to kill. Only Marco, and Cara who saw it all reflected in the mirror behind the bar, could follow the preternatural speed of the enraged vampire.
But Marco moved even faster than Lilith waiting until she was almost upon him then easily catching her by the throat warding her blow away. The two spun like dervishes and came to a sudden halt Lilith's back bent over the bar, Marco, his face contorted, fangs extended the veins around his eyes mirroring Lilith's one of his long fingered hands clasped around her throat the other thrust into her chest reaching for her heart. "I'm older than you and that means I am more..."
The words never came as the air forced from his lungs as something wrapped around him and pulled him away from the younger Vampire, as the separated Lilith slid to the floor clutching her chest and the hole that was rapidly closing.
"How dare you," the voice of the Regent broke through the reverie, "This place is Neutral any attack on anyone here is a violation of our treaty."
Marco snarled as the force holding him relented and he swung toward the witch anger and violence on his mind only to see that the witch wasn't addressing him but rather Lilith. He felt hands on his shoulders and realized that Cara had his back and as well was restraining him.
The Regent continued. "Now if you two are finished we have things to discuss. You called me here Lilith, what is this all about?" Her eyes never left Lilith's, but her mind spoke to Marco <I don't under estimate you Marco, I suggest you not under estimate me. We have business to discuss but after this and don't do anything hasty, Kill her and this whole city will burn and all of us including you and your sister, with it. Just wait we need to talk.>
Slowly Lilith rose to her feet she pointedly didn't look at Marco and Cara. "One of your witches was killed here in the city last night by a werewolf." she held her hand up to forestall interruption. "The killing was justified under the treaty, this witch was about to sacrifice a member of his pack that he had abducted." she motioned Dan forward, "show her the pictures on the phone, Dan if you would please."

"I'll take that as a yes," Lilith said, "I really need to talk to Colby about his communication skills."
Lilith walked briskly toward the bars door and ignoring the closed sign opened the door and walked right on in like she owned the world.
At that very moment the door opened and in walked the subject of fantasies and nightmares. Marco smiled wickedly and Lilith stopped so suddenly that Dan and Karen almost ran into her. The look of shock on Lilith's face said it all, but she spoke anyway.
"Well fuck me."

Lilith eyed the truck with badly hidden distaste but got in when Dan opened the door She slid over next to Karen and gave the woman a n appraising look. “Glad to meet you Karen, I can tell by your accent you are not from around here, but can I assume you are the same breed as Dan and the little Irish girl?
Karen shoots a hard glance at the vampire sitting way too close to her. She has an almost un-containable urge to rip her throat out and she isn't sure if it's because this thing may have killed her ancestor or if it's just because of what it is. She grits her teeth forces herself to not look at Lilith. “If you want.”
Lilith keeps watching the California girl as she drives after several moments of silence, “Have we met before? You seem so familiar.”
Dan interrupts before anything else can be said. “Where exactly are we going?”
Lilith turns her head towards Dan. “Bourbon Street the meeting is at that damn Witches club.”
*************
Marguerite watched the interplay between the undead siblings and felt the first tingle of fear. She was pretty sure she could have handled Marco alone after all she channeled the Ancestors and they had nothing but loathing for this creature. But with the appearance of the sister, two ancient vampire might be more than she could handle.
“Assuming I agreed to help you with this curse, it isn't something that could be done easily. I don't even know who cursed you what spell she used, without that breaking any kind of curse is almost impossible. But beside that point, let's say we find out those things and find a way to break it, spell like that takes effort, what do you have to trade for that effort?”
*************
The two werewolves and the vampire threaded their way through he crowded thoroughfare the ride had been tense and this walk even more so. Lilith was feeling foolis for just bringing these two meat bags and none of her own security. She wasn't usually this unprepared. As they reached the club she held up her hand and stopped them from going further. She cocked her head and tuned out all the distracting noise and listened to the inside of the club...
“Damn witchcraft, I can't hear a thing.” She turned and faced the two werewolves, “I need to know that I can trust you, that I can trust Colby. He sent you to watch after Melody. I don't know you Dan and certainly not you Karen, but I'm pretty sure neither of you are Crescents which means your bayou or you came from where ever it was Colby's been hiding all these years. I ain't stupid Colby showing up just as something likke this happening ain't a coincidence. Now there are witches in there and they don't like either of our kind so can I count you to to have my back?"

Dan and Meave walked up the street toward the large house. Dan had known about vampires since the day he triggered his curse some ten years before but in all that time he had never actually seen one and now here he was walking into the den of the most notorious l vampire in the state maybe even the country.
The house wasn't what he expected, not that the Gothic manor he has in his mind would have fit but this was defiantly not that. The building was old probably originally built before the civil war. It had Spanish and French styling about it that surprisingly didn't clash but did give it a sense of the exotic. It was large fully taking up a quarter of the block it was a two story with a couple of square towers reaching up to add a limited third floor. The ground floor was completely without windows and only had one set of double doors opening onto the street that could be seen, there was a paved drive that went between the house and their nearer neighbor it went around to the back of the property which was closed off with a wrought iron gate. The second floor was full encompassed by a balcony and there were many heavily curtained windows and french doors. The house was well kept and had a very lived in look. No one would have expected it to be the home of a monster.
Dan knocked on the door and waited. About a minute after he knocked his keen ears picked up approaching foot steps. They arrived at the door and the right side door opened revealing a tall black woman with tattoos on her arms, dressed in leather pants with studs and a Bad Religion t-shirt her long straight hair was pulled to the left revealing a half shaved scalp and some tattoos. She looked the two werewolves at the door over “Can I help you.” Her voice was low and husky her accent was not local maybe east coast.
“We are here to speak to Lilith, Colby Walker sent us.” Dan said
The girl nodded slowly almost like she was bobbing her head to some song only she could here. “Okay.” She pulled the door open all the way and gestured for the two to enter. The door opened onto a wide corridor which ran about twenty feet into a very Large vestibule. The court was open to the sky and there was a large 16th century fountain standing in the middle. Off to the left was a sweeping stair leading to the second floor. Like the outside a balcony ran around the inner court and many doors to private rooms could be seen. As the entered the vestibule Dan and Meave could see three other vampire, at least they figured they were vampires, one was sitting at a small desk in a corner the other two on a large sofa that looked out of place. All three were looking at cell phones. Two more vampires were descending the stairs, a man and a striking woman, whom Dan recognized from her description, Lilith Ramboux.
“Whats this Trini?” asked Lilith as she stepped off the stairs giving Dan and Meave an appraisal. “They come from the wolves, Lilith.”
Lilith arched an eyebrow at that
“Colby walker sent us to take Melody home.” said Dan who was tensing, this could get bad.
“Take her home? What is this I made myself clear last night. The girl stays here until I am certain what is going on.”
Dan held out the cell phone he had been given, Lilith looks at the offered phone but makes no move. Trini steps up and takes the phone, “Looks like a burner,” she said. At a glance from Lilith she presses the speed dial. “Hello? Yeah wait a sec,” She holds the phone out toward Lilith. “It's the old guy from last night.” Lilith takes the phone and holds it to her ear.
“Colby, two of your pups are hear saying they are here to take little melody away from me. What is this?” She listens a minute then gives a little laugh. “Alright, I can live with that.” She disconnects and hands the phone back to Trini. “Seems you misunderstood your alpha, Melody is in my care he wants you two to stay here and watch over her making sure we don't corrupt the little thing. Jasper where is Melody now.”
The male vampire that had come down the stairs with Lilith spoke for the first time. “She's playing video games in the tv room, with Todd.”
Lilith lets out a little exasperated sigh then looks at Meave. “You look about the same age as melody, you can stay and play games and watch her, while me and your big friend here go run an errand.” She looks at Dan. “What did you say your name was dear?”
“I didn't,” Dan answers, “it's Dan and this is Meave and I'm not leaving either of them here alone.”
“Haha, darling they aren't alone, Trini will be here and the other boys, and there is always Todd.” She steps up close to Dan and fingers the collar of his shit, “And while they are having fun playing their games we are going to get to the bottom of all of this wouldn't your alpha like that.”
“It's alright Dan, I can watch Melody.” inject Meave
“Oh my god that accent is adorable, common Dan the Irish lass has it handled, and we got shit to do.” She brushes past Dan and heads toward the door. “Jasper give Dan here your phone with the pictures you can stay two company threes a crowd.”
Jasper scowls but hands his phone to Dan who has lost all control of the situation. “Meave..”
“I'll be fine Dan.” Meave cuts him off.
Trini smiles at Dan and runs her teeth across some very sharp teeth “Don't worry wolf man, I'll keep em safe for you. Come on Meave the game room is this way.” She says and leads the young wolf away.
Dan gives in and joins Lilith outside.
Outside Dan joins Lilith who is looking up and down the street.
“Wheres your car? Don't tell me you walked.” She says.
Dan steps up beside her and waves at Karen down the street motioning her to come get him. “It's a truck and about that threes a crowd thing....
**************
The witch closest to the door turned to block Cara. But Marguerite gestured for him to step back. “Let her in Carl,it's alright." She stepped a step closer to Marco putting her in front of her companions.
"Marco Angelo, I don't know you, to me your nothing but a fairy tale goblin my grandma used to tell stories about and by far you were not the scariest. But I channel the ancestors and they have very very long memories. So don't be so sure of yourself Marco, you've already been cursed by one witch don't be so sure this one can't kill you with blink.
This place is neutral and everyone of us in the supernatural community recognize that and we defend it's neutrality. So let's everyone be polite. It so happens that I am meeting the very person you are wanting to meet so why don't we all sit and have a decent friendly talk and see if we can solve everyone's problems with out any deaths.”
Marguerite sits at one of the tables while her two men sit at another all the way across the room and the one by the door sits at a table there. "Why don't we all sit. Darrick this is your place and I shall invoke the right of home, your the lord of this house. I ask that you stand as impartial arbitrator for the things to be discussed today. Know that you have the full confidence and backing of the ancestors in this."

In the City....
Cara had fed twice taking less than half of what she really desired but also not wanting to draw attention. At least, she thought as she stepped out of the little boutique where she had seena nice little dress that would look fabulous when she wnet out tonight, there were plenty of victims just waiting to become her very own happy meal. That's when she saw him.
She stopped dead in her tracks and a woman bumped into her and cursed her but Cara paid no attention. She lifted her sunglasses and looked closer. It was him, her brother. The very son of a bitch that had begged her to come to this god forsaken city and here he was he hadn't even called her telling her where he was, and then wham o there he is walking into, of all things, a burlesque club at 10:30 in the morning. She let her glasses fall back into place and headed across the busy street toward the place then stopped as she saw four more people heading into the same venue three men, two of them black and one white, and a black woman who carried herself with an unmistakable air of authority.
Darrick didn't know who this new guy was but the way he had threatened Joe and the way Joe, a big dick if ever there was one, had backed down, made him wary. He reached for his phone, "No promises but I'll give the regent a call," he said just as the door opend and four more, three men and a woman, came into his still closed business.
"No need Darrick, I'm already here." The woman said, the woman who was the regent of the nine covens of New Orleans, Magritte Peraud
Dan parked his truck at the end of the street the address Colby had given him was on. Almost immediately a black Lincoln SUV pulled up behind him and a man got out of the passenger side. Dan didn't recognize him and didn't think he was local. The man walked up to Dan's side of the truck and waited for Dan to roll the window down.
"You Hawkins?" he asked when the window was down. "I am" was Dan's curt reply.
"Mr. Walker says that you and the Irish girl are to go over there where they are holding the girl Melody. He said that if there's any trouble to give them this phone," He passes a burner phone to Dan, "tell them that Speed dial will get him and he will explain things to the vampires."

Colby chuckled on the other end of the connection. "Yeah I'll text you the address meet me there in an hour and sure you can bring Miss Gaunt, she needs the education. Bring the Irish too."
The connection goes dead. followed almost immediately by a text of an address on Dauphin Street.

Joe grimace as he followed Darrik into the empty dark club. "Really man, water? Whatever." Darrick walks behind the bar and pulls some glasses off the hook above as Joe takes a seat on a barstool.
"Some shit went down last night near the port. I don't know the details but I got sent to you to tell... ask... you if you could arrange for meeting with your regent today with Lilith."
***************
Dan got into the truck with the girls as Cade pulled out onto the road. "I gotta make a call." He said as he pulled out his phone and used the number his cousin gave him. "You two might need to hear this too." he said as he put it on speaker. It range several times before it was answered and then Dan heard a womans voice sultry and languid in his ear. "Hello?"
"Hello I'm ... calling for Colby Walker?" Dan had almost given his name like he usually did but something kept him from following habit. "Who gave you this number?" the voice said there was a slight undertone of an accent he couldn't place. Maybe European, he thought? "Colby, sort of."
"Faen!" the voice cursed "just a minute."
Dan could hear the woman walking, a door opening "It's for you asshole." he heard distantly then some noises as if the phone had been dropped or maybe thrown.
"Howdy Dan, glad you got my message." Colby walkers voice replaced that of the unknown woman.
"What do you want Colby?" Dan asked not wanting to chit chat.
"Straight to it eh? I like that." Colby replied "I need a favor. I assume your... Alpha... filled you in. Well that poor girl is in that nest of vipers and she needs some looking after. I'd have Levi, send some Crescents but none of them have your particular talents so I thought I'd ask you. Didn't want to cause a ruckus so I went through your ...alpha." Dan can almost hear the derision in Walker's voice."What talents," asked Dan caustiously
"Come on Dan we both know what you and no one else can do down there in the Bayou. Well almost no one."